Tristan’s answer was haunted: “In case you’re up against a revenant.”
I nodded, my back still to them. “Or a vampire in its prime. Or countless other magical species that I wish I didn’t know about—the book gave some examples. I tried the spell on abigtree, and it cut about a quarter of the way. The original basandere had to carry me back to Ivy House. After she nearly stomped on me, that is, thinking I was an enemy. It drains me that much.”
“What kind of species did it name?” Tristan asked, his voice guarded.
“You were probably listed.” Aurora’s tone held humor. She didn’t care what Tristan was any more than the rest of us did.
“Watch yourself, monster,” Broken Sue teased Tristan. “If you step out of line, she can kill you without batting an eye.”
Tristan huffed. “She’s already almost killed me, and that was by accident. If she wants me dead, I’ll first ask Mr. Tom to make my favorite coffee drink, and then I’ll say goodnight.”
I scoffed, then turned in confusion when no one else scoffed with me. Broken Sue was nodding, like that made perfect sense, and Aurora didn’t show any sign of tension—evidently, she believed them.
“What’s this now?” Mr. Tom said. At least someone had sense. “You have a favorite coffee drink?” he demanded of Tristan. “And here I am making all these other things. What is it?”
Never mind.
Austin emerged from the bedroom in a black twill suit with a black silk shirt underneath. His leather dress boots were polished to a high shine, and gold-and-diamond cuff links, matching his watch, gave the black on black a stunning bling.
“Boots?” Aurora lifted an eyebrow. “Those are even harder to get off than regular shoes.”
He was making a statement, then.
“I’m already painted as reckless and volatile.” Austin adjusted a cuff link, dapper as all hell and so incredibly handsome. “Unpredictable. I’m wearing boots in good faith. They’ll know I intend to mind my manners.”
“Does my dad know?” Aurora asked.
“No. I’d intended to follow custom, but Jess’s reasoning made me think harder about it. This is the right message. I should’ve planned this all along.”
Aurora’s slightly narrowed gaze swung to me. She was thinking that through. A lot of her shifter customs were beingchallenged in the convocation. Instead of resisting, she was analyzing and, in many cases, opening her mind to different perceptions. She was an intelligent and driven young woman. Even though I was new to the family and probably didn’t have the right to be, I was so incredibly proud of her.
“Not to mention, if something kicks off, you won’t have to get up from your chair.” Tristan laughed. “Jessie will freeze the room or just blast them all to hell.”
Austin smirked. “Thereisthat. It can’t hurt to show the trust I have in my mate’s dangerousness.”
The rest of our group waited out front. Every alpha was allowed ten people with whom to show their team’s strength and power. We were exceptions. There were a lot of rumors about the convocation, and these packs wanted some assurances. Or maybe they were just curious. Regardless, we’d show up with a larger force, bringing shifters, gargoyles, and my whole crew.
Broken Sue stepped to his position in front of the line of shifters, a row to the right and waiting next to the railing on the walkway. Tristan sauntered to his spot in front of the gargoyles. Both lines were crisp, stoic, and polished.
And then there was the Ivy House delegation.
“What…” I put out my hands in utter bewilderment.
They were all over the place. Dave was standing down the walkway next to the wall, Indigo and Edgar leaned way over the railing to see the flowers below, Niamh was waiting by a maid’s cart and clearly thinking about taking something… Only Hollace was where he should be, pushed out from the other lines, my crew partially in front of the others. His hands filled his pockets in his stylish cream suit,notthe color we’d agreed upon.
“Did we not practice this?” I ground out, not supposed to show emotion but unable to help it. “Get in line!”
“Edgar, hurry, it’s starting!” Indigo twisted to look at me, shoving the vampire as she did so.
“Whoa!” Edgar’s feet swung into the sky as he tipped over the railing. He tried to hold on, but he was falling before he could get purchase. His nails scratched against metal, and then he dropped into the bushes and flowers below with anoomph.
“Oh, no. Shoot!” Indigo scrabbled over the railing after him.
“No, Indigo, save yourself!” Edgar shouted.
“Don’t go after—” I began, but stopped as Indigo leapt from the second-floor walkway and into the bushes.
“It’s okay, I heal fast!” she called up.
